Perspectives from an English Historian who just happens to be Gay, Catholic, and a Democratic Socialist. Now back in the UK after 20 years of living in the United States. The Blog is eclectic in covering all these sides of my Life. Follow on Twitter at PaulBHalsall

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Modesty and Islam

Are Muslim men modest? Is all that preening, showing off of arses just nothing? Are tight jeans Islamic?

I happen to find "Mediterranean" men attractive - from Spain to Bangladesh. I think suits are sexy, but I really like a guy with dark hair, dusky complexion, and mournful eyes - dressed in a leather jacket and tight jeans.

And there are a lot of men like me.

And people like me have a lot of fun in countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Turkey, Pakistan etc. The code phrase they ask is "are you married?"

But they won't kiss.

In other words, if modesty is an issue, cute Muslim guys need to cover up. Perhaps the men could wear a veil or a Burkha?

Sex segregation, alone with the burkha, niqab, and hijab - all those Muslim sartorial signs that say a woman is "modest" only if she is covered up - amount to a direct claim that women who do not wear them are immodest. There is a similar chain of thought in ultra-orthodox Jewish insistence on married women wearing wigs or other hair covering, and covering all limbs.

Such practices amount to saying western women are sluts. And that is a big problem.